Last Name
by LeakySneakyOprichniki
Summary: Ansem signed paper after paper. When the last form's signature was struck, Riku was officially his. "I know you'll be good for him, and he'll be good for you." AU
1. Prologue

_Last Name_

_Prologue_

"You have to give him a chance. I know you'll be good for him, and he'll be good for you," Aerith hugged Riku's shoulders tightly. Her adoption agency badge jingled from the clip on her blouse. Brown eye brows arched pleadingly with the possible adopter in front of her."Please, take him Ansem. I'm asking you as a friend. You'll be a great father." Aerith smiled and held her breath.

Ansem looked into the little boy's soft blue green eyes, and he knew he couldn't say no.


	2. Brand New

**UPDATE 7/14/2013**

**I have taken the opportunity to go back over this story to fix mistakes in each chapter. It's been a while since I first started, or even updated oh geeze. It's a good thing I still remember my original plot. I plan to spend a little time to do some new chapters. You might notice that my writing has changed, if only slightly. Sorry for such a long period of no...well anything.  
**

* * *

Last Name

Chapter 1: _Brand New_

A heavy manila package of paper shifted nosily on Ansem's dash board. He reached out a hand from his steering wheel and moved the package back in place. His amber eyes kept to the outstretched high way through the clear glass of his window shield. Riku sat quietly in the back seat of his roaring Ford Challenger. He seemed preoccupied with watching the different cars and buildings fly by.

"Where are we going? I've never been here before," Riku asked. His face pressed against the tinted window along with his little hands. The red seat belt he was strapped into strained tightly across his lap. Cream colored buildings lined up on the edges of the road and hid behind over passes. Each structure was unique, but all had a sense of harmony. It was a homey and comfortable theme. It reminded Riku of modern villages.

"I live in Twilight Town. It's a suburb not to far from the Luminary City Metroplex." Ansem gazed up from his window to his top mirror.

"It looks different," Riku accidentally kicked some of his suit cases as he turned from his view of the highway. He sighed and placed his palms in his lap. His expression turned solemn. Clumps of his silver hair covered his round face.

"How do you feel?" Ansem ran a hand through his grey hair and drifted into a highway exit.

"Okay, I guess. I'm really happy, and sad." Riku tried to smile. "I'm mostly scared."

"I understand. I must be somewhat of a stranger to you since we've only met a small number of times." Ansem attempted to sympathize. The sound of his baritone low voice mixed with the sound of friction on the road. "I'll try my best. Perhaps we'll get to know each other and be a family."

"Aerith said you'd be a good dad. I hope she's right."

"I hope so, too"

* * *

**_GONG…GONG…GONG..._**

Ansem watched as Riku immediately jumped out of his sleep. His little eyes where dull and glazed over from an afternoon of slumber. He slinked lethargically to his passenger window, sneezed, and then peered outside.

"It's just the clock tower, Riku. It's around ten o'clock in the evening." Ansem chuckled low in his chest at Riku's confused expression. "We're in Twilight Town."

Riku watched in awe as they zoomed by a late train. Its wheels crackled and screeched as it wound around an intricately lit clock tower. The tower's hefty bells swung back and fourth loudly telling Twilight Town's settling inhabitants of the shifting hour.

"Wow…!" Riku gasped.

"Yes, I bet you'd like to see the rest of the town. Would you rather to do that tomorrow?" Ansem asked.

"Yeah." Riku craned his neck to look out other windows.

"Then we'll do that after Aerith comes to check on us in the morning. It's a bit too late to do any touring now."

"Okay." Riku agreed.

Only minutes passed before Ansem's car growled to a smooth stop. The distinct slam of a door echoed across the condo complex.

"Here hand me some of your bags." Ansem opened Riku's door, and he in turn un-snapped his seat belt. Riku grunted and pulled at the handles of his suit cases.

"I've got it." Ansem reached down to the bottom of the back seat. With one arm he pulled his bags up and out. When Ansem moved, Riku unhappily slid out of his car seat. His cheeks puffed indicating that he was annoyed.

"I could have picked them up!"

"I know you could." Ansem smiled. "Come on now, we're just about home."

The air smelled of spices, professional paintbrushes, and industrialization. Walls were covered in hard textures and solid colors. The floors vibrated with the sound of dark mahogany wood. The furniture: tasteful black leather, and modern metallic frames. The T.V.? Flat screen and god like. You could tell that a man lived here.

Riku looked around and waited patiently while Ansem took the time to set down his car keys and wallet. "Nice place. Pretty classy in here." Riku gave it an indirect thumbs up.

"I'm not the best decorator, but I appreciate your approval. I'll show you to your room." Ansem tipped his head to the side and gestured toward a hallway.

To tell the truth Riku had been expecting a last minute change to some kind of gym room. To his surprise there was an appropriate bed room. Glow in the dark stickers were plastered to it's navy blue ceiling. Lap lights sitting on stands and drawers had a colorful tint, and picture frames hanging on the rooms painted walls depicted shooting stars. Riku reached a common theme the more he looked around: Dark Nights and Spirited Hearts. The room was made for a 9 year old boy. That was perfect actually.

"It's all mine?"

"Of course." Ansem assured him placing his bags on the carpeted floor.

"Even my own bed?" Riku ran a hand over the black comforter and examined the red heart-like symbol in the middle.

"Yes, that, too."

"Heh, I never had my own room before." Riku had a hard time containing his excitement.

"You have one now. Go ahead and get ready for bed. Aerith is going to pick you up very early in the morning to register you here. You can un-pack if you'd like."

"Okay!" Riku hopped off of his bed and to his suit cases on the carpeted floor of his new room. He pulled out a single set of night clothes, a toothbrush, and a hair brush.

"We'll stop by Target later tomorrow and get you things if you need them. But, if you need me, I'll be in my office." He readied to leave Riku in his new space.

"Thanks...um." Riku trailed.

"You can call me Ansem." Riku watched Ansem's back as he exited down the narrow hallway.

"Goodnight I guess. " Riku closed his suit case and slumped down to the floor. The week had happened so fast. One day he met someone new at his orphanage, and the next, he found out he'll be living with them and that they're his father for the rest of his life. Every thing was so new. His town, his…dad, even his school was new. For now he decided that he'd enjoy the comfort of his new room.


	3. I Hope You're Really Sure This Time

Last Name

Chapter 2: _I Hope You're Really Sure This Time_

Streams of light trickled over Riku's eyelashes. With one eye lid cracked halfway open he defused a yawn through his nose. Slowly, he opened his other eye lid to the brightness of the room he'd slept in. His heart pounded. Wait! Where was he?

"Oh!" Riku remembered. He looked around the decorated room absently mindedly and held his hands close to the black bed comforter. He had been officially adopted yesterday. Excitement and uncertainty still coursed through his veins. It was only _yesterday_ he'd been all alone.

"Ah!" He stretched from his head to his toes and rubbed his back into the warm sheets. Riku's bones creaked as he settled. He'd always had to share a bed with someone else, and having one all to himself was a pleasant relief. A moment later, a stretch-interrupting knock came to Riku's bed room door. The echo it produced was light and chipper. He knew exactly who it was.

"Come in," Riku grunted, turning under a mass of pillows.

"Hey sweet heart." Chimed a soft feminine voice. Aerith shook his exposed leg and sat down on the edge of his bed. A back pack was clutched in her arms.

"Hey Aerith." Riku sighed his voice muffled under his comforter. He lazily scratched his arm.

"Are you okay?" She moved her hand to rub his back and smiled sympathetically.

"Yeah, m' alright." He switched his head to the other side of the pillow and gave Aerith a side ways smile; his eyes drooped.

"Are you sure?! I want to make sure you are happy." She patted him a couple of times. The sound vibrated deeply from his back.

"I guess I like it here." Riku closed his eyes in thought.

"Well then we'll just have to see. Now, come on, get up!" She shook him hardly and tickled the sides of his belly.

Riku grumbled, suppressing his laughter. "I'm getting up! I'm getting up!" He never really liked it when she did that. Usually because it worked in moving him.

"Get dressed and come down the hall way when you're done. I have a little present for you. Your father and I will be signing some more paper work. After that you and I are going on a trip to register you for school in Twilight Town. Summer is almost over." Aerith put her hands on her hips and smiled widely. All of her pearly whites gleamed.

"Ugh!" Riku barrel rolled off the bed and on to the floor with a loud thump.

Aerith laughed, her long pony tail swaying as she turned out of sight.

* * *

Riku slipped one chuck onto his foot and stuck the other shoe under his arm. His shoe laces clicked against the wooden floor as he walked. He was way too lazy to tie them, or put his other black high-top on.

He paused half way to peer at the many picture frames and ornaments that decorated the walls and small tables in the long hall way. He saw an assortment of different people, but the same three men were in every single one. He saw Ansem, a man that looked kind of like him, and an older man with a beard. Riku wondered who they were. The last picture he saw was Ansem and that other man in blue uniforms with all kinds of pins and badges on them.

"Riku?" He snapped out of his interest at the calling of his name.

"Over here!" Aerith appeared at the opening of the hallway and motioned him over to a small kitchen table. Riku followed the jingle of her badge and the sway of her bell bottom jeans past the living room and to a blackwood kitchen set with three chairs. Ansem was already there with a pen in one hand and a fork in the other.

"Ugh, morning people." Riku had thought to himself. Riku was unfortunately _not_ a morning person.

"Rise and shine." Ansem smiled with his tangerine eyes rather than his mouth.

"Hey." Riku pulled out a chair next to Aerith and plopped down in it. Papers flew across the table for a long while.

Sign here, sign there.

This is this, and this is that.

Social Security number, I.D. form, doctor's information, Immunization records, date of birth, blah, blah, blah.

Riku had been there for a little under 15 minutes. He jammed his chin into the table and dumbly clicked his teeth. So many papers. He was extremely bored. His eyes began to wonder. He glanced at what he guessed was Ansem's breakfast; a plate of sausage and eggs. His stomach growled. Riku was still sleepy, but he disliked being hungry even more. Yet again, he was way too lazy, and much too _new_ to ask for anything.

"Famished?" Ansem raised one silvery eyebrow. His eyes never rose from the legal papers.

Mind reader?

Riku paused unsure of what to say. He had to think of what famished meant first. "Yeah, I haven't eaten anything yet."

"Maybe you should put that shoe on first?" Aerith pointed at the high top wedged into his arm pit.

"Oh, I probably should, shouldn't I?" Riku un-tucked it and shoved his foot into the sole. He paused to dig for the tongue before tying both feet firmly.

"Don't worry. Aerith can pick something up for you to eat while you're out. But just as soon as we are done here." Ansem stoode scooping up the papers in his thick russet arms and organizing them into labeled folders.

Riku tried his best to be patient (and not to stare). He gazed, turning his view anytime he thought he caught Ansem's attention. Ansem is _different_ looking; Riku squinted and decided. It might have been the man's eyes that got to him; like the one man who sat in the park Riku used to visit. He was blind but no one every wanted to look him in his eyes because they were, well, scary.

Was Ansem scary?

Kind of? Maybe?

He's tall, and dark, and muscular, and a bit mean looking in his face. His grey eyebrows arched in an infinite frown even if his eyes were smiling (Riku hasn't seen him really smile with his mouth yet) He seems nice, but Riku hasn't spent _that_ much time with him yet. He wasn't sure if he liked him just yet. He wasn't sure if he disliked him either. When he imagined his adopter, Ansem didn't quite come to mind.

But, whatever, Riku didn't complain. He was glad to have someone who wanted to look after him.

* * *

"Ansem, I heard the news." A firm handshake and a good pack to the back confirms a hearty welcome between men.

"Did you now? What all did you hear?" Ansem takes a seat next to company on the outside patio of a coffee cafe. This little "get-together" was planned a week in advance. Ansem had to admit; it was a well needed and deserved get away, if only for an hour or so.

"I had a chat with Xigbar the other day. You know how he keeps tabs on everyone. It's quite a habit of his." Xemnas took a swig of his sebastian.

"I should have known. I suppose I should stop asking. It's him or…What's his name?" Ansem shook his head a smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. He turned every now and again to survey the scenery. People walked by, going in and out of clothing stores and shops. The lunch time rush. It was always bustling at the town square around this time.

"_Marluxia?_ Yes, I'm pretty sure he knows, too. We travel in packs, Ansem. We all know what we all know." Xemnas leaned back in his chair and reached down to pet his dog, tied to the table by her leash and sitting lazily in the sun. Ansem remembered when and where Xemnas acquired the Doberman, though he couldn't quite remember what Xemnas' named her.

"I expect no less from fellow officials." Ansem rolled his eyes. He tinkered with his cell phone and observed the dog as she rolls over near her master's feet; panting contently and looking on as everyone else does.

"I'm curious. What made you reconsider and give adoption another go?" Xemnas chose his words carefully. _Re-adoption_, was a sensitive subject in regard to his older brother.

Ansem took a long moment to answer. His hands meshed together on the outdoor table, face twisting into a defined frown. Xemnas tried to read his expression, fiddling patiently with the belt buckle holding up his black jeans.

"Aerith convinced me. I thought why not?" Ansem chuckled, and cleared his throat. A waitress brought his coffee. It was black. He liked it black.

"Good for you then. I'd like to swing by one of these days and meet them."

"Feel free. I suppose it would be good to introduce him to parts his new family." Ansem adjusted his tight athletic shirt and collar. He pulled out caught strands of his long hair.

"_His_? You adopted another boy? Do you mind if I ask his name?" Xemnas tilted his head. Silver clumps of his hair fell over his wide shoulders spilling into his jacket hood.

"His name is Riku. And speaking of Riku, I should be leaving now to pick him up. I know it was short, but it's been pleasant talking with you." Ansem gathered his wallet and keys from the top of the table and tucked it in a pants pocket.

"Of course. I do hope you're alright, and that you're going to be okay adopting another. I understand you've been through a lot."

"I appreciate your concern. Oh, and tell Saïx I said hello." Ansem gave his younger brother a wink and exited to find his car in the nearby parking lot.

_He had a lot to think about._

**Author's Note:**

**My my! I haven't touched this in a while. I've been so side tracked with all of my other stories but as soon as I finish the first part to A Little Piece of Heaven I'll be focusing on this more. C: Bear with me! I have a whole plot mapped out. **

**I hope it's not to out of character. Riku is interesting to write from the view of a nine year old and Ansem is hard to write any way. Oh well, I try.**

**Sorry if this chapter is short **

**R&R! **

CHAPTER REVISED 7/14/2013

so many *saix voice* mistttttaaaakkesssss


	4. Sure Thing

Last Name

Chapter 3: Sure Thing

There were so many unfamiliar faces. Some of the kids waiting in line with their parents were younger than him. Some were older. Riku even saw a couple of "big kids"—high schoolers. In his opinion that particular gang just looked _stupid,_ or mean he should rather say. Others appeared as if they flunked half of middle school. Turns out Twilight Town only had two schools,and both of them were pretty large and loaded with every set of grade possible. You had to hold K-12 somewhere, right?

He looked up between Ansem (who had eventually just came and met them at the school), and Aerith who were both looking in front of them with folded, impatient arms. Riku would fold his arms too if it weren't for the fact that even they were tired. He and Aerith had been there for the entire morning and part of the afternoon getting registered. The bulk of it was just adding Riku to the school district. Now, they had to wait in line so they could get Ansem's information in addition to more of his own. Really, it sucked.

Riku's eyes wondered around as he snacked on a nutella box. He chewed lazily, surveying some of the children he saw who were around his age.

"Let's see," he squinted his eyes hiding behind the box's juice compartment. "No. No. Maybe. Eww. No." There was no one promising yet. Riku had gone to a small private school (if you could call it that) before. In all honesty, that was horrible, and public school wasn't looking much better. Maybe the kids here won't be as…_derpy_. And as soon as he thought it, the epitome of derpy came walking his way.

Flip flops, red shorts, and a high-on-summer-smile was stuck on some hyper than normal brunet. His hair was chaotic and stuck up in random places. He appeared too happy to Riku. Normal people didn't look that excited to be at school. He smiled at Riku, tugged on the end of his mom's shirt to warn her he was walking across the room, and arrived with an outstretched hand for Riku to take.

"Hi!" The boy smiled with all of his teeth.

"Um…Hello?" Riku gave a side glance to the boy's hand and kept his arms to his sides. Riku had hyperactive stranger-danger.

"My name's Sora. You gonna shake my hand?" Sora wiggled his fingers in an attempt to get Riku to take it.

"No, I don't know you." The other boy's tactic wasn't working.

"But, that's kinda the point." His large smile faltered a bit.

"So." Riku coolly took a long, loud, popping sip from his box. He couldn't help being reflective to open conversations.

"Be nice. He's only trying to be friendly." Aerith hissed swatting at Riku's shoulder. By this time both of the adults were looking down at the two as they moved up in the long, messy line. Riku heard Ansem grunt out of his other ear. The man was judging the new comer with his eyes. He grunted again and turned his head back to the front of the time. It was evident that he was ready to have registration over with so he could leave.

"I know that." Riku squinted again, sipping more of his juice.

"So what's your name?" Sora asked awkwardly scratching the back of his head and keeping track of where his parents were.

"That's classified iinnfo." He slurred.

"Whatever. I'll get your name later." Sora shrugged his shoulders. "See you this school year!"

"Sure…?" Riku followed him with his eyes as he ran back to where he came from.

Not promising. Not promising at all.

* * *

After registration was done with, Ansem took Riku on a small tour of the town as promised. He really wanted to go inside of the clock tower, but there was no time for that. Ansem said he still had work to do. Too bad it grew dark by the time they made to the train station.

Aerith had left a long while ago, leaving some school supplies and ice cream behind (Ansem said he could have it after dinner). He hoped Ansem was a good cook. The food at his orphanage was appreciated, but much to be desired. Plus, it would be interesting, and new to sit down with someone else as a family and eat. It actually made him slightly nervous. He still felt like a stranger to everything.

"What's for dinner?" Riku slumped on the leather couch, letting out a sigh through his nose. He was hungry.

"Breaded and baked Tilapia. How's that sound?" Riku looked over the back couch cushion and watched as Ansem set down his keys, wallet, and the watch he kept on his arm.

"Sounds good to me."

The dinner table was quiet, but not uncomfortable. That's kind of what happens when you put two hungry people together. Most of the communication was non-verbal, and it was decided that eating was the main focus since the food was in fact good, and both of them were them were running on empty tanks. Riku was hesitant to ask for seconds, but Ansem seemed to have read his mind and fixed him another plate before he could.

His 'mind reading' didn't bother Riku, but it was mysterious. Ansem was kinda mysterious now that he thought about it. Maybe that would go away the longer he stayed with him.

"What kind of ice cream is this?" Riku nibbled on his desert, taken back by the taste. It was blue. He was expecting it to be some kind of fruity flavor, but it was salty, yet very sweet.

"It's sea salt ice cream; The Luminary Metroplex specialty." Ansem winked and bit a good chunk from his own ice cream bar. Both of them had already changed into sleeping wear and were lounging about in the classy living room in front of the T.V. It was nice to know that someone other than Riku enjoyed watching George Lopez late at night.

"Hmm, pretty good." Riku concluded.

"Glad you think so. It's one of my favorites." Ansem ate the rest tossing the stick in a jar with many others. He took a lap top out from a case, along with some large blue prints. Blue prints meant the construction of something, and the construction of something meant there would be pictures. Riku hopped up from the couch, leaving the Harry Potter book purchased for him at Target book marked on the couch.

"What's that?" Riku asked with much interest. He watched as each blue grid was pinned to the desk cork with push pins.

"Plans for military planes." Ansem took out some white ink wells and loaded up some kind of complicated, calculating software onto his computer. There were tons of codes he could in no way understand. Riku rather disliked math.

He stared at the different fascinating designs. "What are they for?" It was one of the neatest things he had ever seen.

"It's a technology development assignment from the army. I create them, and then I send them off so someone can follow the plans to manufacture them properly."

"So someone will get to fly those one day?"

"Yes, and these, too. Just as soon as I'm done making all the small details and more schematics for the inner parts."

They were like the SiFi planes Riku saw in the action movies, or the kind that came with expensive action figure sets he'd always wanted. Some of them were angular and long. Others had rounded parts and looked like they could make some quick and sharp turns in midair.

"That must cost a lot of money."

"Ahh, yes, it does. It's supplied by the government to the army so they can develop. I help design; the government supplies me, and some of the people I work with with money, too. Understand?"

"Yeah, I get it. You get paid a lot?" Riku asked nosily.

"You could say that. I don't complain though. It keeps me comfortable. Speaking of that, you should go to bed." Ansem tapped his forehead.

"Already?" Riku sighed puffing air to move his bangs.

"You only have two more weeks of Summer left. Might as well get into a bed time routine." Ansem murmured adding something to one of the large construction plans.

"Night." Riku walked to his bedroom in defeat.

"Good night, Riku."

* * *

"_**Is it alright if I come by? I'd like to meet him."**_

"Sure it's fine. I don't see why you can't." No, he does mind, but he doesn't want to appear as if he's trying to shut anyone out of his personal matters.

"_**Are you sure, Ansem? If you still want time to be alone I won't push it further."**_

"No, no I assure you it's fine. I'd like for him to meet some of his new family."

"_**No harm in that I suppose."**_

"…"

"_**What's his name?"**_

"Riku. He's asleep now."

"_**Well, then I should probably talk to you later. Wouldn't want to wake him up." **_

"Yeah."

"_**Talk to you later?"**_

"Sure thing, Xehanort."

"_**Alright then, Bye."**_

"Goodbye."


	5. Hello There

Last Name

Chapter 4: Hello There

Ansem watched as Riku sat on the small condo porch. He stared, almost in a daze as the boy tinkered with a few model boats and ships. It warmed Ansem, if only slightly, to have come to the realization that he could pin point what model boats they were; of army. Two small models were ones he had actually been aboard, and the others were famous battle ships from other countries. He squinted as Riku lazily painted the _YAMATO_ of Japan. He seemed to know what he was doing. The corners of his mouth twitched in an attempt to smile. That had been difficult to do lately.

"Now it has to dry." Riku sat down his latest project on a cluster of old newspaper. There's nothing like sitting outside on a cool (for now) late Summer morning. He sighed. Truth was, he was a little bored. Relaxed and _very_ comfortable, but bored. He didn't have any friends here, so going out and about was out of the question. The bulk of his week had been spent with Ansem, scoping out his surroundings, and pestering the neighbors.

The balcony was the perfect spot to be a creeper and spy on everyone and anyone who walked by. Riku would comment, and in some cases laugh about the people he saw. Couples would argue over the most stupid things. Someone had tripped and fell down a full flight of stairs. More people would argue. He saw a stray dog here or there (he liked dogs). A group of people had a loud inane conversation near the pool. And on, and on, and on it went.

"I wonder where that girl is?" Riku sighed and stuck some stray pieces of wood into his hoodie pocket. He rested his arms on the bars guarding the porch. The warm wind ruffled his hair.

There was a little reddish girl that lived in the complex. He saw her walking with who he guessed was her aunt the other day. He wanted to know her name. He wasn't interested, or anything. It was only the fact that she had been the only other kid his age he'd seen all this week. The bulk of the people that lived here were in their twenties and up. For some reason no one had kids. Was there a child limit or something?

"I wonder if the lounge is still open…?" Riku sighed again heaving himself up and off of the warming concrete. He slid open the porch door after covering up his models, and stepped in side. He kicked off his shoes and dragged on the carpet.

"Um…Ansem?"

"Hmmm?" Ansem hummed in mid sip of a cup of coffee. He sat his newspaper down in anticipation of a question.

"Could I go hang out in the lounge?"

"Mmm, I suppose that's fine. Be back before lunch today." he thought about it. Riku would only be down stairs.

"I can go?"

"Go ahead. Don't talk to the pan handlers that wonder in."

"I won't!" Riku darted out purposely leaving his shoes behind. The carpet was nice everywhere. He didn't see any reason to put them on.

One cramped elevator ride and five floors later, Riku found himself in the bustling lobby. It was nice even if all of the people weren't. He minded his business though, shuffling past strangers to get to the lounge area. It always had free food, and free entertainment. Riku mainly came for the food though.

He sat down on one of the couches and grabbed a cookie. The lounge was a neat, clean little place that always smelled of cocoa beans, ceramic bowls, and running water. It was nice much like everything else, he had to admit. He mopped around and eventually preoccupied himself with the mini pinball machine. He just needed something time-consuming.

"You're pretty good at that." A feminine voice giggled from Riku's side.

"Good at what?" He swiveled around. He hadn't been expecting anyone to come up and talk to him.

"What's it called? Oh, pin-ball!" The speaker smiled warmly and sat next to him on a bean bag.

"I guess. It's alright if you want to play something." He twitched out a small smile and went back into concentration. She moved pieces of her reddish-brownish hair out of the way and observed him.

"What's your name? I've never seen _you_ here before." The girl bobbed, patted her legs, and swayed nonchalantly. Her light blue skirt stretched and ruffled, and her sandals clacked against the floors.

"What's yours?" Riku poked his tongue out against his top lip; pulling the machines levers with extra effort.

"Hey, I asked you first!"

"Yeah, but I asked you second."

She giggled biting into a dough-nut hole pulled from the white paper bag she was holding. "My name is Kairi Kendall."

Riku leaned back from her slightly to talk to her face to face. "You have two first names?"

"No, Kendall is my last name. Some people call me by my whole name because it's funny. You can just call me Kairi." She held out her hand to him. He peered at it, waiting for her to say something. "Now you have to tell me your name."

"What if I don't have one?" Riku said it as if it were a matter-of-fact.

"That's silly! You have a name. Tell me, tell me, tell me!" She playfully pleaded with him.

"Riku. My name is Riku."

"Riku…what's your last name?"

He _knew_ his last name. Though, he was pretty sure it had changed. He had absolutely no idea what it was now.

* * *

Riku jogged up the stairs this time. He liked running. He savored the feeling he got when he heard his heart pound. His feet made heavy thumps as he accomplished another flight. The elevator was too much of a hassle, and the stair's windows created a great view to people watch as he zoomed by. He was slightly excited. He may have made a friend.

When on his floor, he quieted his pace. He had a good reason, too. Some of Ansem's immediate neighbors didn't enjoy noise, and if you were loud enough, they'd come out and threaten to call the cops. Riku had been bouncing a ball in the hallway the other day and awakened what their wing of the condo called "The Dragon". Kairi (who lived only two hallways away) sprinkled hysterical myths of the Dragon's origins.

It was just Riku's luck that this dragon lived exactly next to him. _Zmaj D. Maleficent_ was her name, and quite frankly, he didn't like her all that much. She was a skinny older woman with slick black hair pinned up so strangely that it almost appeared like she had horns. Her heels were very high; _always_. She was _real _inviting, too. Her welcome mat said "Come Back with a Warrant". Riku tip-toed past the dragon's den, but knocked loudly on his apartment door.

"Come in, it's open" came Ansem's voice from the inside. Riku walked in slowing his steps as he neared the living room.

"Hello there!"

Ansem had company.

**Author's Notes: **

**I apologize if the chapters are short. Stick with me people. I am going somewhere very soon. **

THIS AND PREVIOUS CHAPTER REVISED 7/14/2013


	6. Relatives

Last Name

Chapter 5: Relatives

"Um…Hi." Riku waved nervously, looking from face to face of the men who were lounging casually in the living room. They waved back nonchalantly. Riku dragged his feet over to where Ansem was; leaning against the back of the couch. He had the inkling that they may have been waiting for him.

He stopped half expectantly at Ansem's side, and rested his arms against a couch cushion. There where three men, and two of them were chatting fondly away with one another. Riku kept quiet and jumped slightly when a hand extended out towards him from one of the men sitting at the front of the couch he leaned on.

"Hello again, I'm Xehanort, but some call me Jr." Xehanort smiled. He stretched, almost moving the end of his button up shirt from out of his neatly tucked pants. Riku took it. His hand was large, and hot, and firm, and intimidating to hold like Ansem's. Riku pointed out the similarities. All of the grown men in the room looked alike, or at least very much related. Hmm, greyish hair, acid amber eyes, and rich russet skin. Well, with the exception of one of them.

"I'm Riku." He shook, and let go. Xehanort's arm landed with a muffled slap against his thigh.

"I'm one of your father's brothers along with that guy over there." He tipped his head to and pointed with a glass towards the man nearest to the porch.

"I am Xemnas." He swayed from the patio door and stalked over, also taking a firm hold of Riku's hand. "I'm second oldest. Welcome to the family." He winked. Riku was slightly taken back from his deep voice.

"Your uncles thought it best to come over and meet you. Isn't that right, Terra?" Ansem threw, and caught an apple in mid air. He bit into it loudly.

"I was only dragged along. I'm not a brother though, just a distant cousin. Jr. pushed me into to taking off from work. We had drills for the newbies today!" Terra leaned up in the spot on the couch he was sitting in. He widened his legs and rested his elbows against his knees. His hands knitted together as he chuckled. Head phone buds dangled out of his jacket pocket, barely sweeping the floor and tapping against the sweating glass of root beer resting near his feet.

"Distant yet you're never to far away. I say getting dragged along was your fault. Besides, I think we all needed to at least see what the new member of our family looked like." Xehanort joked, pointing a mock accusing finger. The teasing was out of habit. Terra tended to be oblivious and could be dragged into doing almost anything.

"You could have just sent me a picture, Jr." Terra retorted crossing his thick, heavy arms over his chest. Xehanort shot him a side ways grin and sipped more of his soda.

"If you're done?" Ansem cleared his throat and elbowed Xemnas in his side.

"Hmm?" Xemnas held a hand to keep him from spitting out what he was drinking.

"It's time for lunch. My treat. Go put on your shoes Riku." Ansem was already striding off to collect his wallet and car keys.

They stood up. Riku felt short for someone pretty tall for his age. He felt a small sense of belonging though. It appeared that the thought of eating exited all of them. This was a personal fact for Riku. Eat=Good.

Shrugging his shoulders, he shoved on his black high tops and trailed after all of them into the small, clean hallway. Terra swept behind his relatives and patted his shoulder; a soft smile held to his squared features.

"How's it feel to be a Marino-Guevara?" he stuffed his hanging head phones back with his ipod in his pocket.

"What?" Riku had no inference as to what Terra had meant. He had barely caught what he said since he had said it so quickly.

"Your last name Riku." Ansem held open the door, looking over his shoulder.

* * *

"Shot gun!" Riku had the natural instinct to call it out in these kinds of situations. He snickered as he darted across the lobby and out into the parking lot.

"Ugh." The company grumbled in unison. "You aren't even allowed to sit in the front seat!"

* * *

It had only occurred to Riku now that Xemnas had been one of the men in the many picture frames outside his bedroom door. His absentmindedly bit his lip as he wobbled out into the dark hallway. Unfortunately, it was almost his bed time, but he still had time for a conversation or two.

"_**I'm **_so_** happy for you Riku." **_

"I guess I could say I'm pretty happy, too, Aerith,"

"_**You got to meet some of your family, right?"**_

"Heh, yeah. They're pretty cool." Riku tipped the house phone more to his chin.

"30 minutes Riku!" Ansem announced from his desk near the living room.

"Okay!" Riku muffled the speaker on his shoulder before bringing it back again. "I can talk to you again later, Aerith?"

"_**Of course Riku. Anytime. I'll tell Zack you called and give him the word that you're okay." **_

"See ya Aerith."

"_**Buh-by Riku." **_

Riku sighed setting the phone on the jack.

**Author's Notes:**

**Reallly really short, I know! I promise the next one will be much much longer. Riku's going to be starting out the school year. ;D **

CHAPTER REVISED 7/14/2013


	7. Let's Go

Last Name

Chapter 6: Let's Go

_Get up._

_Move, you can make it. _

Ansem told himself that every morning for the past four years. Life is hard when you're tired. Perhaps, not completely in a physical sense, but when your emotions are drained, one's body tends to eventually follow suit. He'd been through worse though. At least he _thought_ he had. He'd seen lives fade before his eyes when he tended to the ropes, and waves of the bitterly cold ocean. That however, was in the past. He had long settled for something more technological— safer—than being out miles into the other two-thirds of the Earth.

He sat up in bed jadedly staring at his bed side clock before rubbing his fogged eyes. It was nearly five in the morning. Strange, he was used to waking up earlier than that. With a sigh, he swung his legs out from the side, drew back the sheets, and stood up with a wobble making sure to watch for his head. The ceiling beams in his master bedroom hung low and he was very well tall enough to hit them if he stood up too fast.

Checking the clock again after taking a well needed shower, he slid his boxer briefs up his thick thighs and strode off to his closet for something to wear. He had fifteen minuets before he needed to wake Riku up for the start of school. He opened one of the closed doors and looked briefly again into a mirror. Ansem murmured disapprovingly. He was growing shadowy circles under his eyes (The dark rims at the very far edges were genetic). He then looked reproachfully at his hair. No, that's never going to change no matter how hard he tried. His hair stayed as it always was: one slick streak cow-licked at the top, and two to the sides of his head before fading into his neatly trimmed side burns.

He sighed absently rubbing the hot-iron branding of the Marine Corp—eagle, anchor and all—on his right upper arm. He stared again, but not at his clock, or his mirror. Dangling on a cleared hanger in a corner was a rope necklace with sand filled glass at its end. He reached out a russet hand and rolled the item between his fingers. Something twisted agonizingly inside of him, but anyone standing near wouldn't have seen it, not on his face.

Maybe this all wasn't such a good idea. But, what's done is done. He had move on and make it through. Not for just himself, but for Riku. And just as he remembered his father saying it like it was yesterday, he had a job to do. A little hurt in his soul won't matter much.

* * *

"Get your bags, Riku." Ansem instructed him over his shoulder.

"I've got them." Riku affirmed wiggling the bag strap on his shoulder. It was full of only what he needed. Ansem didn't see the use in him bring all of his supplies. The school teachers took half of the lot for themselves anyway.

"Schedule?" Ansem asked scrounging around the counter for his car keys.

"Check." Riku nibbled on a hot chocolate poptart.

"Lunch money?" When he found them, Ansem stuck the key set safely in his pocket and grabbed for his wallet along with some other important papers. He dipped down behind the counter for his scroll canister. He opened it, checked his blue prints twice, and closed the lid tightly.

"In my bag." Riku swayed on his feet at the front door.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Then you're ready?"

"Yep."

"Then let's go." Ansem unlocked and unhinged all the claps keeping the door closed and stepped out. Once Riku had accompanied him out in the hall, he was able to lock the door back. He coughed waving the air away with a free hand.

"Mrs. Maleficent you can't smoke in the hallway. You know that." Ansem leered at her, herding Riku by the shoulder.

"Yes, I know. But, I ahm smoking _anyway_. Arh you going to stop me?" She drawled in her thick accent setting a hand against her pencil skirt.

Ansem squinted. A warning gleamed in his eyes. "Don't you think you are posing a health hazard Zmaj?"

She chose to ignore Ansem and focused her attention on Riku. She bore into him with her bright, radioactive green eyes. "Eis he going to school?" She blew a long skillful puff of lime flavored smoke, and pointed the glowing tip of the cigarette in his direction at Ansem's side. Riku was starting to understand more of why people called her a dragon. He watched as she blew green tinted puffs from her long, pointed nose. Mrs. Maleficent certainly looked as if she could breathe fire.

"Yes, it starts today." Ansem stated taking a mental note to send a quiet complaint to the lobby. Ansem didn't like a heavy smoker; especially the rebel ones.

"Gewd luck lehttle Cookie." She smirked and turned on her long legs before swaying back behind the dark of her den.

"Nice lady, don't you think?" Riku mumbled sarcastically. Cookie? He was in no way a little cookie.

"You get used to her." Ansem shook his head wondering if any of the fire alarms would go off. "Come on Riku. You and I don't want to be late."

* * *

"Seifer Almasy?"

"In the back."

"Sora Charmington?"

"Here~!" Said person waved their hand directly from Riku's right.

"Roxas Charmington?"

"Here."

"Xion Ramsy,"

"Present."

Riku only paid attention to a handful of names. Fifth grade? Ahh, yes, fascinating. He observed his home room teacher, mildly seeing if he could scope out a rough sketch of their personality. Riku liked to keep mental profiles just in case of emergency.

Mr. Lupin (Riku found his last name funny due to what he was currently reading) was a tall, sturdy looking man. He dressed casually, but in a groomed manner. He had deep yellow eyes and a stern, passive aggressive expression that clung loosely to his squared face. He tended to frown every now and again, and Riku could sense that he was the distant type. Mr. Lupin didn't seem like the kind of teacher you could get away with just anything with. Though, Riku wouldn't rule him out yet. Somehow he always got the worst homeroom teacher. Just his luck, it was math.

"Riku Marino-Guevara…?" Mr. Lupin paused brushing bits of his light blue hair out his eyes.

"…" Riku wasn't listening. He zeroed in on his teachers facial scar and fathomed how he may have gotten it.

"_Riku Marino-Guevara_?" Mr. Lupin renounced scanning a room that hummed with students he didn't tell to talk.

"Right here!" Riku raised his head from the desk having registered that it meant him. He was still adjusting to the extra title.

"Riku?" Mr. Lupin gazed at the name on his roll for a few seconds. He looked confused "are you Hispanic?"

"No, why?" Riku tapped his fingers on his desk. Some of the other students around him were staring.

"I was just wondering. Those are traditional Cuban names." Mr. Lupin fixed his thoughtful gleam on Riku again, and tapped his chin before moving on with the roll.

* * *

A few periods rolled by. They were mostly introductions to the class, oh-so witty games for everyone to get to know each other. Everyone knew everyone except for Riku, but he didn't let it bother him. Sometimes he preferred to be alone.

"Hey, No-Name!" Sora smiled invitingly and took a careful seat across from Riku at an empty lunch table. The large cafeteria was buzzing with every grade imaginable (above third). It was slightly chaotic. The high school jocks chased after one another, seventh grade girls where doing their nails on the lunch seats, and the nerds/geeks of every combined grade exchanged jargon only they could understand. Riku was glad third and down wasn't in here.

"Is it always like this?" Riku scrunched his nose. The air was clammy, and his food didn't even seem remotely edible.

"Pretty much!" Sora and Kairi said in unison. Kairi sat down with them, following closely behind Sora.

"Welcome to Twilight "Jumbled" K-12." Roxas plopped down when he found no one else to sit with.

"Thanks I feel welcomed. Cozy here, huh?" They all sniggered at Riku's comment.

"Here, you can share a lunch with me. I usually don't eat it all. The food here is manufactured in power plants I swear!" Sora gagged and handed Riku a bag of chips.

"Or dug up from Chernobyl." Kairi commented. The boys gave her a glance as to say "What?"

"You know, Chernobyl?"

"No, Kairi." Roxas arched his eyebrows and shook his head.

"Well, then you'll know later. My tutor told me about it. Y'know last year for history,"

"Whatever you say." Sora bit happily into a rice cake. "Whadareyou starin' at, Riku?" Sora asked noticing Riku's attention on a cafeteria corner. He waited to see if he would notice that he'd learned Riku's name.

"Nothing." But Riku was staring at something, or someone.

CHAPTER REVISED 7/14/2013


	8. Partners?

Last Name

Chapter 7: Partners?

This guy had to be one of the most interesting persons Riku had ever seen. Riku scanned idly as his target floated from table to table. He thought the hair must have caught his attention first. It was red; bright orange-ish red like sparks. It stood up at odd angles from the back of his head and framed his angular face.

"_That's Axel Aodhfin_." Kairi leaned over the table bench and whispered into his ear. She noticed him gazing off into the other side of the room. "He's a Teacher's Aid. Sometimes he works with the old janitor, or as a tutor." She smiled with her mouth and eyes, and then handed Riku a few Oreos.

"He must not mind a bunch of kinds then." Riku mumbled crunching mindlessly, getting crumbs all over his lap. Axel walked on legs like stilts, towering over children and smirking slyly as he went by. Every now and again he would gain a high-five or a wave from a kid he obviously recognized.

"He tells me he doesn't." Roxas interjected raising his hand high over the table. On cue Axel raised his head from a group of six grade drama queens (who whined as he detached himself from their freshly polished claws) and strode over for a quick hello.

"_Rox`as_. Long time no see?" Axel slurred stuffing a few chicken nuggets into the side of his mouth.

"I saw you yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that..." Roxas rolled his eyes dunking his empty paper lunch bag into a nearby trash bin.

"So?" He chuckled letting his eyes roll down below him. Riku tilted his face up analyzing the deep green of his eyes and the tattoos that were etched under them.

"Who do we have here?" Axel asked straightening out his elbows to leverage himself on the table side.

"New kid!" Kairi chimed handing Axel her last cookie.

"New kid, huh? What's your title?" Axel smiled stuffing the cookie in his mouth, and the rest of his nuggets into his leather jacket pocket. He whipped his hands on his ripped jean tops, and bent down to pull a card out of the side of his boot.

"My title?" Riku quirked an eyebrow. In his mind he was still trying to figure out if Axel was an adult or not. He honestly couldn't tell.

"Yeah, New Kid. Your name?" Axel winked. He seemed friendly enough.

"Riku! His name is Riku!" Sora answered before he could; tossing Axel a bag of pepper kettle chips. All the food exchange and conversing suddenly became confusing. Riku barely noticed that he had been passed the last half of a Dr. Pepper bottle. All the loud clatter, chatter, and screaming in the lunch room didn't help either.

"Yep." Riku shrugged his shoulders.

"Hmm. What about your last?"

"My last name is… Marino-Guevara." He had to think about it for a moment. Riku handed the bottle of soda to Axel. He was more of a root beer kind of guy anyway.

"Oh. _That rings a bell_. Feels like I've heard that before." Axel taped the clammy table top with the long tips of his fingers. "I'll remember that." He stuffed the bottle along with the rest of his food into the many pockets of his clothing. "Here" The card he pulled from his black boot was extended towards him.

"Thanks." Riku took it, and placed the card in his pocket.

"See you later, Charmingtons. Tell Xion I'll meet her at Uptown later today for some tutoring." Axel waved away called by another awaiting table full of free food.

"Will do. Mom says to swing by for dinner." Sora and Roxas replied together.

"_Yesss_." Axel curled in a fist and punched his elbow back, disappearing off into the depths of another clique.

"He seems pretty cool." Riku bobbed his head in approval.

"_Oh, yeah_." Everyone sitting around him nodded back in unison.

* * *

After school was a lot quieter. Riku was extremely thankful for that. This school had way more kids than it could handle, making every hallway loud and hot. He sighed and sat himself up on the old school walls. He opened his planner. Who has homework on the first day of school?

_Math- Workbook pages 457-458_

Oh, yeah. _He_ does, along with the rest of Mr. Lupin's homeroom math class. "That's just awesome." He thought checking his planner for other notes. He tilted his head. Xemnas was going to pick him all next week, and Ansem was going to take him fishing this weekend. He was actually looking forward to that. He liked the sea and Ansem said he could take his boats with him.

"Hey?" Sora leapt up on the wall next to him. He let his red and green Nintendo backpack fall to the concrete.

Sup?" Riku moved his own sling sack so that he could have some room. He swept little pieces of moss that chipped off from between the auburn bricks he rested on from his pants.

"Are you starting on Mr. Lupin's work already?" Sora asked taking a bag of gold fish from behind his head in his jacket hood.

"Yeah, I don't wanna do homework tonight. Does _everyone_ keep food in random places here?"

"That seems pretty smart, and yeah. You kinda have to if you don't want to starve. They made the school meals smaller to stop "Childhood Obesity". _Bleh_." Sora snorted opening the bag so they could both share. Really, it was ironic.

"How are you with math?" Riku flipped through his workbook biting on his pencil eraser.

"I'm okay at it. Say, if you do page 457, I'll do page 458."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

"Hey, my ride is here." Riku tapped Sora, who was busy copying and checking each others answers.

"Okay! I'm almost done. Number 5 is wrong. It should be 23 instead of 16." Sora scribbled. The tip of his tongue poked out in concentration. "_Done_!"

"Thanks!" Riku scrambled to get his things together. He tucked his books and planner away, and then double checked to make sure he had everything.

"No problem. Sora extended his arm and hand. A goofy smile stretched across his face. "Partners?" He asked hoping for a handshake.

Riku hesitated, gazing at it skeptically. Eventually, he took Sora's hand in his and gave a firm shake. "Partners." He half smiled.

A car horn honked.

"Coming!" Riku jumped down and strapped his back pack to his side. Sora followed eagerly after.

"Hey! Hey, Riku is that your dad?"

"Um, yeah."

"Really? You look _nothing_ alike."

"I know."

"Why is that?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow, kay? Later."

"Later!"

CHAPTER REVISED 7/14/2013


	9. Distance

Last Name

Chapter 8: Distance

"I see you survived your first day." Ansem pitched his keys and wallet to their appropriate places on the front counter. "How was it?" He shook his head. He remembered his days at the mix-matched school. It was bitter sweet. School was like that.

"You know. It's school?" Riku scratched his side. "It's only the first day though. We'll see how it goes."

"I can understand that. Have any homework?" Ansem chuckled seating himself at his desk near the edge of the living room. He hoisted his computer out of its leather bag, and pulled out his project blueprints. He would be gone all next week to travel to the capital for a presentation. The necessary and meticulous details weren't going to plan out themselves before that time came.

"Math. I did it after school. You can look over it if you want." Riku stood in front of the clear porch doors and watched the sun set. He couldn't wait for night to fully fall. Xemnas had left him an old Premium telescope while he was gone all day. It was perfect for star gazing; not one cloud drifted across the horizon. He'd tell Xemnas thank you next week.

"No, I believe you. Who was your friend?" Ansem popped the cap of a white ink well. With the cork wedged between his teeth, he checked over the different sizes of his fountain pens.

"That was Sora." Riku plopped on the couch ignoring the growl of his stomach. The smell of food drifted from the oven, through the small kitchen, and into the living room. He tried to distract himself. His telescope box—covered in a light coat of dust—rattled with different changeable parts. From what he could tell it was silver and hand crafted in another country.

"Sora? Make any other friends?" Ansem removed his wristwatch and sat it to the side. He was hoping that Riku was. If so, it was a great start. He had already pinned Riku as somewhat reserved. He had noticeable quiet tendencies, but in that aspect they were very alike. Ansem liked to observe before he did anything.

"Hmm, not sure." It was darker now. "Can I turn on the TV?"

"After dinner."

* * *

Riku yawned putting together the last pieces of his gift. It took a lot longer than he expected it to. By the time he was done, it was already time to get ready for bed. He sighed with slight disappointment. He had chalk and black construction paper (Ansem had found him some) so he could chart stars as he gazed. Bummer, but he would try again another time.

"You have school tomorrow, Riku." Ansem reminded him.

Sighing for a last time Riku left his fully functional telescope on the porch, sloshed down the hallway, and entered his room to get his things together for tomorrow. After brushing his teeth in the hallway bathroom, he returned to his room to change into his night clothes. He stretched. Being in his own room still felt odd, but it was nice to have the privacy and a bed that actually accommodated his size.

He changed his shirt first making sure to sift through his pockets. He pulled out a card. "Oh, yeah!" He remembered the card Axel had given him earlier that day. He never really got around to reading it. He flipped it over. It definitely was just as interesting as Axel was. The card decorations were dazzling with designs of green and gold, and leaping Lipizzan horse surrounded by fire works.

_**THE GREEN CAROUSEL!**_

_Aodhfin's Family Entertainment and First-class Fireworks since 1825_

_Fire, Acrobatics, Irish Dance, Meals, and Extravaganza!_

"Wow." It was defiantly something. Riku sat the card on his bed side under his lamp. With the last of his pajama's on he tucked himself away for the rest of the night.

"Good Night, Riku." He could hear Ansem from down the hall. He could still see light flashing from the TV.

"Night." He closed his eyes.

* * *

"Do you think I'm being too distant?"

"_**It doesn't sound like it to me. You are only being yourself. That's proper, yes?"**_

"Are you sure?"

"_**Are **_you _**sure?"**_

"_No_, that's why I called." Ansem rubbed the bags under his eyes.

"_**It's okay to let yourself grow attached, Ansem. I can understand why you might be hesitant, but the past is the past."**_

"But-"

"_**You have to let it go. Let **_him _**go. It wasn't your fault."**_

"…"

"_**I know you can be a father again. No going back now. You've got a good kid who needs you." **_

"I know."

"…" There is a long silence were no end spoke.

"_**We're here you know. All of us. Uh, even Dad. As absolutely **_delirious _**of an old man he is." **_

Ansem chuckles. The conversation warms if only slightly.

"_**Persevere?" **_

"Absolutely. Thank you, Xemnas."

"**_No trouble. See you Sunday." _**

"Bye."

* * *

The school parking lot over flooded with children of every size. Car horns honked, and parents yelled in every direction to whisk their noisy children hom. Riku, however, didn't request for a ride today. He was invited to walk home with the kids he now found himself associating with. It was weird how friendships worked. He barely knew them, but already he felt comfortable enough to make small talk.

He walked along side them on the paved, brick side walks and roads. He could see the different cliques break off from one another into even smaller groups of kids. They ran into sweet shops, and gas stations for food and chat. The feeling of not knowing much still prickled at the back of his mind. Perhaps he would become familiar over time.

"Bye you guys! My mom has me on shelving duty." Xion (Riku always thought of cotton when around her) split from their pack and darted towards Twilight Uptown. The Ramsy's owned a bustling little book shop. He was welcomed to visit there. He'd go when he had the chance.

"Bye!" The gang said in unison.

By now, Sora, Kairi, and himself were the only ones left walking.

"Where'd Roxas go?" Kairi suckled on the bar of sea salt ice cream she'd gotten when the Ice Cream Trolley rolled by.

"Skateboarding." Sora bit on his own bar. Riku had already consumed his. It was hot for August.

"_Figures_. Are we all going to your apartment?" Kairi skipped and staggered over all the dark red bricks in the pavement. In her mind they were probably lava.

"Yep. We all live in the same complex don't we?" Sora snapped his fingers at the realization.

"The Destiny Islands?" Riku chewed on his popsicle stick and tried to keep his book bag on his shoulder.

"That's the one! Kairi lives with her aunt, and I stay with my parents. Do you stay with your dad, Riku?" Sora picked up on Kairi's game, and eagerly joined in. Bright red: good. Dark read: boiling hot lava.

"Yeah." Riku nodded, gave in, and joined along. They were a few cozy blocks away. On his way to Sora's he could stop by his own living area to tell Ansem which number he was in. He called using a school phone in advance.

"Do you have a mom?" Kairi hic'd as she jumped. Her small hands curled around her bag straps.

"No. Just a dad." The back of his heel taped a dark red tile and he jumped.

"Which reminds me! How come you and your dad don't look alike? He looks really _different_." They were even closer now. The complex stretched out above them blocking the heat of the sun.

"He's my dad…What's the word? Legally, but not…really." Riku stuffed his hands in his pockets after whipping sweat from his forehead. "I'm just getting to know him, though. He's pretty nice."

Kairi tilted her head. The game ended with the side walk. "You'll tell us more, right?"

They walked through the cool lobby, past the lounge, and to the stair way.

"Sure, while we do our homework."

"Blargh, more Math, right? Mr. Lupin's one of _those_ teachers." Sora scrunched his nose.

CHAPTER REVISED 7/14/2013


	10. Welcoming

Last Name

Chapter 9: Welcoming

"Shhhh." Kairi put a small finger to her lips. Riku nodded in acknowledgement. The closer they got to his apartment, the quieter their foot steps needed to be.

"You live near The Dragon?" Sora rasped in disbelief. His brown eyebrows furrowed on his forehead.

"She's right next door." Riku mumbled and jabbed his thumb towards the opening of The Dragon's den. You could hear a low thumping, and muted argument from beyond her un-welcoming mat. The stench of cigarette smoke still lingering in the hallway. Riku gave his friends a weary look before turning to knock on his own door.

"I've only ever seen her yelling at people in the lobby." Sora's eyebrows unfolded themselves and raised high, vanishing behind the veil of his hair.

"Me, too." Kairi whispered from Riku's side. She only lives a hallway or two down, but she has never, ever, been this close.

"Just a minute." Ansem announced from behind the apartment door. Riku realized his knuckles were still pressed against the polished wood. Locks shuffled about before it swung open. Ansem give him a small smile before his gaze shifted to examine his company. Kairi waved beaming her usual hello. "Hi!"

"Hello there." Ansem waved back. "Friends of yours, Riku?" He asked moving to survey Sora (who hadn't said hello yet).

"Yeah." Riku noded his head. "We came to tell you Sora's door, and floor numbers."

"Is that so. Sora, correct?" Ansem extended his long arm for a hand shake.

"Yes. I'm on floor 2. Door 213." Sora took the man's firm hand. The shake was heavy and intimidating. "I live with my parents." Sora explained subtly observing Ansem's unusual features.

"Thank you for letting me know. " Ansem released Sora from his grip and directed Riku a wink." Dinner is in two hours, Riku. Make sure you do your homework."

"I will." Riku nodded suppressing a groan. They could hear the door close and locks clink behind them as they turned to leave.

"Kind of scary." Sora mused he bent down to tie his loose shoe laces. Kairi and Riku, where only a few paces in front of him, but stopped to wait in the direction of the stairs.

"Who, Ansem?" Riku asked gripping the straps of his backpack to relieve some of the weight from his text books.

"Yeah. He's kind of scary." Sora stated again.

"I think he looks nice." Kairi giggled. "You're just being a scardy cat."

"Am not!"

Riku merely shrugged his shoulders.

* * *

Even though each of The Destiny Islands apartment lofts were made on a standard, Sora's apartment looked and felt_ nothing _like Riku's. Kairi seemed to already know the norm. She sat her backpack in a designated area, slipped off her shoes, and sat comfortably in the living room. Unsure of himself, Riku did the same. When he sat his backpack down, he took his text books with him.

"Mom! I'm home! Kairi and another friend is here!" Sora exclaimed. He chucked his bag to a corner in the kitchen.

"Alright, Sora." A high-pitched voice answered him from what Riku understood to be the back. He took a moment to look around as he opened his book to the proper homework page. There were messy stacks of magazines and remotes. Family pictures and awards littered the walls (along with a few old stains). Every other fiber of carpet had cat hair tightly knitted within it. The air, Riku also noticed, permanently smelled of cooking oil, and laundry detergent. It felt homey, like a large bustling family had lived here in this apartment for years. Riku shifted more into the side of the couch thumbing through his daily planner for any other books he might need. He jumped when his movement was met with an loud, angry hiss.

"Oh, don't mind that." Kairi reached behind his back an pulled out an scraggy mess of coal-black fur. "This is just Lucifer. He's always unhappy. I've been trying to change his outlook on life." Kairi held him up and nuzzled his squished in nose. Lucifer continued his complaining, acidic yellow eyes concealing his deep agitation, and stubby limbs swatting the air.

"Sora, you named your cat Lucifer?" Riku raises an eyebrow in disbelief.

"No, Axel named the cat Lucifer! We all kinda agreed with him on the name. Lucifer hates _everybody_."

"Isn't Lucifer is the name of the devil?!" Riku squinted.

"_That's the point_." Kairi and Sora say in unison.

"The Devil crafted an evil being out of the fires of Hell, and that being, is that ugly cat." Sora's mother appeared from behind a hallway closet. She was a stout, chipper lady with short brown hair that framed her chubby face. Riku assumed she was the snappy type.

"He's not ugly, he's beautiful!" Kairi stuck her tongue out. Lucifer scratched at her arm with his dull, freshly cut, claws. He continued his loud deranged hissing.

"Enough about the demon cat. Who do we have here?" Sora's mother sat her small hands on her wide hips.

"New kid~!" Kairi chimed.

"Ohhhh, New Kid." Sora's mother wiped closet dust from her hands and on to her pants. "What's your name, deary?"

"Riku." He answerd with the tip of his chin.

"Nice to meet you, Riku! Make yourself at home."

He had already begun to.

* * *

"So about you and your dad. What were you going to tell us, Riku?" Kairi mulls over a particular math problem before giving up and moving on to another question. They are all huddled quietly around a living room table. Books and papers take up most of the space, while snacks and sodas fill in the free pockets.

"Oh, yeah!" Sora remembers, taking a swig of his cherry cola. He's half way done with English. They will all review and trade off work when everything is done.

"I was saying that Ansem is my dad legally." Riku nibbled on barbeque chips.

"Legally?" Kairi tilted her head back and forth in thought. "Not, biologically." Kairi muttered poking Riku's shoulder to let him know she was paying attention.

"Bio-what?" Sora slurred in confusion.

"He's not his dad by birth, silly." Kairi giggled.

"So, is he your step-dad, or...?" Sora trailed off.

"He adopted me a month or so ago."

"Adopted?" They both whispered mystified by the abstract idea.

"Yeah. It's a long story of what happened before that. A lot of waiting I guess." Riku scribbled easy answers into his science work book.

"If it makes you feel any better, I live with my aunt." Kairi sympathized. "My parents are somewhere in Europe."

"Thanks, but I'm fine." For another time today Riku shrugged his shoulders. He tried not to let things phase him.

* * *

"Bye, Riku! See you tomorrow!" Riku split ways with Kairi after finally arriving back on his floor.

_213 _

He etched the number into his memory so he wouldn't forget. He was already looking forward to seeing Kairi's apartment, or even inviting his new friends back to his own. He'd never really had friends before. Acquaintances at the state orphanage yes, but never _real_ friends. Whenever he meet someone new at his orphanage, they always seemed to eventually leave him behind. He had never felt so _welcome_. He was so muddled in his own happy thoughts, that he hadn't noticed the door swung open before him until it was too late.

The argument he had heard before was intensified now that the door was open. The Dragon stomped out from her den. Lime green puffs of smoke filled the hallway and rose from her pale skin. She snarled angrily trying to contain a squealing little pot-bellied pig in her skinny arms.

"Come, Pete!" Riku stood stiff as she summoned. A big, black, round stomached bull-dog swayed lazily out of the room and plopped down beside her high-heeled feet. She spat and cursed at the door in some language he didn't understand. Russian maybe?

"Don't get your _panties_ in a knot, Zmaj. We're leaving." A group of women emerged from the door. One of them had mixed matched hair; white and black and wore a heavy red-lined fur coat with poker chips stuffed in her bra. The rest of the women were just as bizarre and odd looking. Another loud, fat, boisterous woman followed with a lopsided plastic crown on her head, a heart tipped red staff in her hand, and instead of poker chips, cards stuffed in her front.

"Game iz over!" She pointed her finger down the hallway, smothering the still squealing pig under her arm.

"Ta-ta, darling. Ursala said hello and sorry she couldn't make it." And like that, all the witches were gone.

Zmaj grumbled kicking her bull dog in its side. It ruffed unhappily and crawled back into the dark apartment from which it came. Suddenly, as if noticing him for the first time, Zmaj turned her attention to Riku.

"_Oh_, hello Lehttle Cookie. Shouldn't you be wee-wee-wee all the way home?" She sneered at him flipping her short cut hair. The hair that stood up at the back of her head was replaced with actual horns. Her neck and arms were decorated with beaded necklaces and bracelets. _Some kind of party_, Riku thought.

"I was actually." Riku eyed the shrieking black pig. He shuffled awkwardly around her long legs to reach his door. She twisted her head around slowly, watching him like he was prey.

"Bye." He mumbled.

"Bye, Bye, Cookie." She swept coldly by him and shut the entrance to her lair.

Riku shivered and his stomach growled despite having earlier had a snack. He knocked, but found the door to already be open. When he stepped inside the sent of dinner pleasantly filled his nostrils.

"Hey." He closed and locked the door, and then slipped off his high-tops.

"Welcome back, Riku." Ansem was already setting the kitchen table. "How was it?"

"I think it went pretty well."

CHAPTER REVISED 7/14/2013


	11. At Home

Last Name

Chapter 10: At Home

School seemed to be in stop motion going frame by frame by frame. Riku's eyes drooped as he puffed out his cheeks against the cold surface of his desk. He watched a tiny red hand slowly caress each plastic number on the clock that rested on Mr. Yseult's desk. Fifteen minutes left in Science felt like fifteen long years.

"Make sure to hand in your permission slips on Monday. It's a free one hundred, or a free zero!" Mr. Yseult announced clapping his pale hands. Riku's fourth grade science teacher was a busy body of a man. Unlike Mr. Lupin, his homeroom teacher, Mr. Yseult seemed to work in meticulous, slow paced detail. Riku figured it was because he used to work upstairs as the Junior High Chemistry teacher. He could also see why the sophomores didn't like him very much. He was _too _scrupulous when grading work, not to mention chronically cranky. Amazingly enough, he favored younger children over chaotic young adults. Riku didn't know how the rest of this class was going to go. Right now, it wasn't looking well at all.

"Also, remember to complete workbook pages 89-90, 20, and 23-24. You have all weekend. On Monday, we will exchange books and grade them. That's three grades children. It had better be complete." There was a low mumbling from the majority of the class. Mr. Yseult gleamed with bright evergreen eyes and a sly smile. Ceremoniously he pulled back his long blonde hair into a neat ponytail, and stood from his desk. "Alright then, drop off your in-class assignment in the tray before you walk out of the door. Row one can stand and get your bags."

The room, including Riku, sprang up with new life. Backpack zippers growled and shifted with the crackling of papers. When his row finally had its turn to retrieve their items, he took the moment to poke Sora in his arm. "Wake up sleepy head." Kairi whispered behind his lolling head. Riku chuckled. Sora had accumulated a nice pool of drool on his desk top. "You're lucky you didn't get caught sleeping." Kairi stabbed his lower back with the eraser end of her powder-pink pencil.

"Ugh." Sora wiped his moist cheek against his shoulder. "What I miss?" He sprang up from his seat realizing that everyone was leaving.

"Half of the class, and the classwork." Riku looked over Sora's half filled work packet. Whoops.

"Ah, man!" Sora groaned. Science wasn't his best subject. He'd always had a hard time paying attention.

"Maybe he'll let you turn it in on Monday with the homework over Earth Cycles." Kairi suggested.

"What no! He's crazy! Maaannnn, now he'll think I'm some kinda slacker." Sora heaved his backpack from the stale carpeted floor, and stuffed his papers into his bag. "I'll have to turn in what I have, and ask to finish it later." Sora pouted.

"We'd better hurry then, you two have to get back to homeroom. See you guys later?" Kairi stuck her powder-pink pencil in a matching shoulder bag. They moved expeditiously out of the science portal and into the not as cluttered hallway.

"Sure." Sora sighed. "What about you, Riku? Are you going to walk home with us today?"

"Of course. I just can't come over." Riku stuffed his erasers in his pocket avoiding a chattering cluster of 6th grade drama.

"How come?" Sora sped up to match Riku's quick walking pace. He waved bye to Kairi as she split ways to her own homeroom.

"Ansem's going to take me to the store later. We have to stock up on supplies."

"For what?" Sora asked.

"Fishing. We are leaving early Saturday morning."

"That sounds cool! My dad takes me to The Piers all the time. Is that where, uh, Ansem is taking you to?" He will still groggy from sleeping a full hour away.

"I think so. Shh." Riku turned the door handle to Homeroom Mathematics.

"I hope he doesn't yell at us. We're kinda late." Sora whispered. The students inside were dead quiet (not a good sign).

"Charmington, Marino-Guverra. Nice of you to join us." Mr. Lupid stood at the front of the room. A box of books cradled under his right arm. "If this wasn't advisory I'd count you all tardy. Take a seat. Today is silent sustained reading." Mr. Lupin's tone was even. Riku couldn't tell if he's being friendly, or passive-aggressive. There was a collective groan from the class. The loudest sound of distress was emitted from Seifer in the very back.

"That's enough!" Mr. Lupin growled silencing the room again. The scar on his face twitched with agitation, and his hair seemed frizz. Maybe he'd been stressed all day today? "If you don't want to read, then you can work on homework."

"Yessss." Sora hissed rattling in his chair.

More groaning from the class. Seifer snorted this time and sat his boots on the back of Roxas' chair.

"It's a week into the school year. You should now be accustomed to the drill." Mr. Lupin squinted with his yellow eyes. Like his voice, you can't tell if the expression is neutral or menacing.

"As I was saying, read, or homework. Also, as a subtle heads up, and be lucky you are my homeroom, I will be having an assessment on Monday so I can see where your skills lie. This will count as a grade and a way for me to understand what you do and don't know."

"Yeah..." The grumbling, mumbling, and gripping continued.

"Axel told me his tests were really really hard." Xion, who sat at Riku's group table, whispered.

"_Ramsy_. I said no talking." Mr. Lupin barked as quickly as the quiet statement came out of Xion's mouth. His pointed ear flicked in deep vexation. Riku didn't like the way he said her last name.

"Yes, Sir." She lowered her head and blushed uncomfortably. Seifer snickered in the background. By now he had started to repeatedly tap the back of Roxas' chair. By the look on his face, Riku could tell that Roxas wasn't very pleased.

Oh, why. Riku did as was told and pulled out his Science workbook, but he wasn't really going to start on it. He was watching the seconds mingle, wine and dine with the numbers on the clock above 's bristled, blue head.

* * *

"How was school, Riku?" Ansem looked briefly over his shoulder. The friction of rubber on highway asphalt createed a steady hum on the inside of his father's car. Riku's gaze turned from the drifting dusk clouds outside of his passenger window. He found himself wondering what it was like to fly.

"It was...slow." Riku scrunched his face.

"Time wouldn't fly, would it?" Ansem chortled. "I understand that feeling. Perhaps you are just excited about this weekend young one. Are you?" His challenger roared as he slammed on the gas pedal. Someone had tried to cut him off.

_Silent road rage_, Riku shook his head.

"Yeah, I haven't been fishing in a long time."

"Oh, you've been before?" Ansem hummed in slight irritation returning to a normal highway speed.

"Once, I used to go all the time." Riku returned to wondering out of the window. The sun beamed vibrant, warm colors as it beganto vanish behind the invisible horizon line.

"Was this with family?" Ansem treaded carefully trying to sound as pleasant and casual as he could. Maybe he was asking for too much.

"..."

"Riku?"

"..."

Ansem received no reply. "I understand."

* * *

The Saturday early morning air filled Ansem's head with memories. It hurt a little, but it was a good hurt. It warmed his blood, and slowed his beating heart. Crickets carried their creaky tunes on into dawn adding to the soft ambiance of water and the rustled sway of long stalks of grass. Trees stretched and shook in the morning wind allowing rays of sun to flood in through their leaves, bathing the fishing piers in gold. Fog is just began to rise from the skin of the vast lake.

"Here." Ansem held his hand out for Riku to stop. He watched as the boy went out to look over the railing. From where he was standing, he could clearly tell that Riku was smiling. "I haven't been to this dock before. It's clear, and not in the bushes." Riku sighed sniffing the air and kicking off his flip-flops. The wood, smooth under the pads of his feet, had just started to warm.

"This spot is privately owned." Ansem winked an orange eye and pulled out a chair from under the awning. "If you'd like, Riku, you could set your drinks in the refrigerator over there." He pointed further back under the tin roofing.

"Okay." Riku darted making sure to avoid stepping on fishing-hole lever doors built into the floor of the dock. Lake flies bounced off of his shoulders and every now and again a spider string glided across and stuck to his face. Fortunately, he was used to it. Balanced on a crusting plank of water worn wood, Riku sat his pomegranate sodas in the coolest section of the fridge. Thoughtfully, he pulled out a box of chilled night crawlers and an oxygen tablet for the minnows they'd bought at a gas station on the way down.

"Hey, Ansem?" He ran back in the same excitement. "Can I put the minnows in the water bucket?" He eagerly held out the box of worms, and wiggled the oxygen supplement in the air between his fingers.

"Well, if you already know how." Ansem tied hooks to both of their fresh fishing rods. He absently stuffed his 60 day fishing license in his back pocket.

Riku nodded squatting down by the rail to dip the bucket into the fresh lake water. Soon he was dumping the wiggly little fellows into the yellow bucket and inserting the tablet, and air tube so that they could all breathe in the space together.

"Sometimes minnows make me sad." Riku thought out loud.

"Why is that?" Ansem handed him his smaller, blue, fishing rod, and turned over a crate for the boy to perch on.

"We use them as bait. We put hooks through them,and they slowly die there." Riku watched the miniature fish swim about and bump into one another. Their shiny little scales caght the light of the sun.

"Poor things." Ansem agreed. "We'll remember their sacrifice. Yes?" He gazed onto the water and casted his line twenty feet deep. The bobber bounced lazily on the surface of the rippling water. "If it would lighten your conscience, we will use some of them, and use all of our fake cold-worms. If we don't use the minnows, or if there are some left over, we'll set them all free at the shallow end of the lake with the tad-poles."

"I'd like that." Riku smiled. The dawn was in his eyes. "So, when did you learn to fish?"

"When I was young, like you. I caught a barracuda once with my father in Australia."

"A barracuda? How big was it? How did you catch it? Where you near the Great Barrier Reef?" Riku cast his line with a jolt and waited impatiently

"Haha!" Ansem bellowed. "I can see we share some of the same interests, and yes we were near the Barrier Reef."

* * *

"Hello?"

_**"Hey, it's Xemnas."**_

"Hey?"

_**"Is everything still a go for this coming week?"**_

"Absolutely. I plan on being back Friday night. You are welcome to make yourself at home while I'm gone."

_**"Good, also wanted to know if it was fine to bring Kingdom."**_

"Kingdom...Ah! The doberman. Yes, that is also fine. I'm sure she'll have fine company with Riku. I believe he favors dogs. Just be sure to clean up after her stray hair."

_**"As always, I'll bring her fabric kennel. How did it go today with your son?"**_

"It was a lot more relaxing than I thought it would be. I feel we got to learn more about each other. He's kind of like _him_...I feel like he's one of us. Aquatic interests." Ansem laughed bitterly.

_**"Ah." **_

There was a long pause where nothing was heard but the static of the house phone.

"I need to speak with Aerith again to get more things finalized. He's registered under our jointed last name."

_**"That's good. Is there something bothering you."**_

"Yes."

_**"I'm here to listen."**_

"When I ask him _certain_ things. He goes completely silent. I'm not sure if I should be worried. I thought I might brush up on more of his past. His records only tell me the basics. Lived with single mother, you know how it goes."

_**"I say, give it time. He needs to feel even more at home."**_

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**For some off reason, the editor deleted a couple of names and words. Sorry about that. It should be fixed now.  
**_

CHAPTER REVISED 7/14/2013


	12. Second Eldest

**Long time no see! I took the liberty before hand to revise the previous chapters. You'll notice that my writing style has changed, if only slightly. Expect longer chapters out of fresh habits.**

* * *

Last Name

Chapter 11: Second Eldest

Riku thought he found Ansem peculiar, but he didn't have a word for Xemnas. He didn't find him quite as intimidating, but mysterious all the same. Xemnas didn't say much unless he needed to, and like his father, he had an obvious knack for reading minds. Maybe it ran in Riku's new family? He hoped a bit of it would rub off on him. His dad and uncle were able to do so many interesting things. He wondered if there were any weird habits he hadn't seen yet.

"Do you have any other dogs?" Riku opened up conversation, patting Xemnas' Doberman on her sleek head. He had gotten so used to the two of them in Ansem's apartment, and the week was hardly over yet. Lucky for him, Xemnas wasn't overbearing and his four legged companion was comforting to have around. Riku never got to interact with a dog up this close before. It was hard to resist patting her whenever she sat near.

"Nope." Xemnas stirred a large plastic bowl in the kitchen, licking brownie batter from his pinkie finger. The spoon he used scratched noisily against the bowl's worn insides, filling the kitchen and living room with faint resonances.

"Any other animals?" Riku asked hoping he would say yes. Then, he could bring him all his other pets to mingle with.

"Nope." Xemnas repeated placing his batter bowl on the counter. The oven beeped behind him, indicating that it was done with its pre-heat.

Riku slumped on the couch. Oh well. He could do just fine with what Xemnas had. She was a pretty neat dog anyway; the kind that sat, and lied down, and rolled over, and did much else when you asked her to.

"She's a cool dog." Riku decided out loud. He pulled her paws onto his lap to examine them. Her knobby little nails were trimmed beforehand to avoid scratches on the hardwood floor. Riku curiously spread her toes. They were slightly webbed, and the pads were dusty and worn from whatever work she did.

"Thank you." Xemnas poured batter in a small pan and slipped it on a rack in the oven. Humming, he closed the oven with a thump and looked over the counter to see where the other two where. "I've had her for a while now. Since she was a pup." Xemnas dusted flour from his hands. "Don't let her fall asleep. She hasn't ate yet, and it's hard to wake her up once she doses off."

"I won't." Riku made sure her brindle eyes were still open. They were, if only partially, and focused on whatever it was that he was doing with her paws. "What's her name?" Riku had failed to ask in the two days that they had been here to watch over him.

"Kingdom." Xemnas rinsed his hands in the sink and paced over to the couch to turn on the T.V.. That was another thing Riku liked about Xemnas. He didn't make him wait until after dinner to watch what he wanted.

"Like with Kings and Queens?" Riku folded his legs next to her, tapping her ears every now and again to keep her alert.

"Precisely. She's my service partner." Xemnas sat with crossed legs on the arm of the couch. He found something interesting to watch and tossed the remote on the coffee table. "Dinner and desert will be ready in a few minutes. Make sure you wash your hands."

"Oh, yeah..." Riku looked to his hands. Kingdom wasn't a dirty dog, but her dark hair tended to fall in random places. It was proper to wash your hands after handling pets wasn't it? "I'll be right back!" He hopped off the couch and darted down the apartment hallway toward the bathroom.

It made Riku excited to see that Kingdom had stirred and followed after. Hands soapy, he peered out the side of the door to watch her waddle sleepily down the hallway. Her nails clicked over the hard wood and tile as she came to stand nosily at his side. When his hands were rinsed and dry, she followed as she did before. Riku had to twist out of the way to keep from falling over her.

He paused for a moment to look at the hall's picture frames. He recognized a picture of Xemnas, and it reminded him of something he'd been meaning to ask his father. "Hey, Xemnas?" Riku trotted toward the kitchen. Xemnas was already there fixing bowls and setting the small dining table.

"Hm?" Xemnas placed a fork in what Riku assumed was his bowl stuffed pasta shells.

"Um, Ansem says he makes planes, right?" He sat at the table and Kingdom came to lay under his feet. He ran a bare foot over the soft fur of her back.

"Yes, that's right." Xemnas sounded as if he was just remembering. He sat full gasses of lemon aid on the table for both of them, and took a chair.

"What kind of service do you do?" He asked before taking a forkfull of dinner and stuffing his face.

Xemnas thought for a moment, moving strands of his grey hair out of his face. " Kingdom and I work in the K-9 unit as police. She's used as something called 'intimidation'. You know what that means don't you, Riku?" Xemnas ate just as ferociously as Riku did. It made him feel even more comfortable than he already was.

Riku nodded his head. His eyebrows raised eagerly. He wanted to ask more questions, but he didn't want to chatter with a full mouth.

"We should go back to work in a month or two. Kingdom is going through a new set of training. She'll be able to detect illegal substances when she's done. Isn't that right?" Xemnas peered under the sable. "It's not as sophisticated as my older brother's line of work, but I enjoy it." He stood from the table for a moment to check tonight's desert on top of the oven.

"Sounds stressful." At least that's what Riku thought. The job seemed pretty draining from what he'd seen on reality television.

"At times it is." Xemnas agreed. He returned to the table, sat, and placed a full tray of warm brownies between them. Riku's mouth watered even though he was already eating.

* * *

"These are great!" Sora smacked. Riku assumed the normal lunch-time-trade-off and brought brownies to add to their little stock market. He had an easily satisfied sweet tooth anyway.

"My uncle made them." He spoke over the shrieking to his right. Someone had dropped a scoop of mashed potatoes down another girls bra in some sort of cat fight. He watched for a moment before turning his attention back to his own table. He took the fruit snacks Sora offered him in exchange and popped a few gummies in his mouth.

"These are pretty good." Kairi agreed, taking a bite of her own piece and setting it aside to eat after she'd finished her thermos of spaghetti. "Better save one for Axel. He should be headed this way any moment."

"Emerging out of the depths of helllllll." Roxas made a dramatic impression of a zombie. Everyone, including Riku, knew which clique of girls he was referring to.

"Fiiree, hell fireee!" Kairi whaled, swinging her arms as if she were summoning dark incantations. "This burrnninngg desire." Xion finished joining in her invisible witchcraft. Riku snorted.

"Don't they ever quit?" Riku asked. He could hear the small bundle of girls giggling. Of course, Axel was there bartering for food and using his attention as an unit of exchange.

"I heard girls get grabby when they get older." Roxas commented. Sora replied with a 'yuck', and Kairi and Xion added their own 'Whatever's.

"Speaking of Axel." Riku began, leaning over to take a bite out of Xion's sandwich when she wasn't looking. "What kind of tutoring does he do? He tutor's other kids, right?" Riku's assessment in Mr. Lupin's class did in no way go well today. It annihilated the struggling grade he had. Ansem would probably look down on him whenever he came back. He had yet to see the man mad, and he didn't want to experience it first hand. A math tutor was certainly in order.

"HEY!" Xion narrowed her eyes for suspects around the table, noticing the bite in her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She sighed. "Axel can tutor science and math. He tutors me since our moms know each other. Maybe he'll have time to tutor you if you ask?" She reached over the table and snatched Roxas' caprisun pouch out of his mouth. "Thanks." She crinkled her little nose drank what was left; mocking him for not being quick enough to stop her.

"Ha-ha!" Sora laughed at Roxas' misfortune. "Hey Riku! Are you going to come over again today? I hear from first period that we have homework in Mr. Yuselt."

"Ew." Riku balled his lunch sack and tossed it into a rolling trash can. "I guess. I'll have to ask Xemnas." Suddenly, a long arm reached over Riku's head to rummage through his zip lock back of brownies.

"Premium goods to-day." Axel looked down over Riku's forehead. "I can 'ave one right?" Riku noticed Axel's slight accent for the very first time. He wonder why he hadn't heard it before.

"Go ahead." Riku took the empty bag and threw it into the same can as his lunch sack.

"Hey Axel, Riku was wondering if you could tutor him?" Kairi handed Axel a bag of popcorn she hadn't bothered to open.

"Hmmm." Axel rubbed his chin, shooing a group of younger girls who were aching for him to wonder over. "Just a sec." He called to them before turning his attention back to Riku. "What class is it?"

"Math."

"Big Bad Wolf?" Axel's green eyes went wide.

"Yeah." Riku knew exactly who he was talking about. He wondered why he hadn't thought of the nick name himself.

"One huff and puff and blows your whole grade down. Or so I've heard." Axel joked, leaning against the clammy lunch table. "Still hasn't softened up for younger kids. huh."

Riku had heard rumors from Twilight Town seniors. They called him a 'bloody murderer'. He couldn't say that the title didn't fit him.

"I was a victim today. We had an assessment." Riku sighed. Xion and Roxas hung their heads with him. They didn't survive either.

"Ouch. Yeah, I can help you, kid. Just let me know when you're free. Wouldn't want your 'rents snapping at you heels so early in the year." Axel stood. "I'm coming, geeze hold your prissy little horses." He waved off the table that beckoned him yet again. "I'd love to stay and chat, but duty calls. See ya."

* * *

Though apprehensive to Riku running out of sight, Xemnas allowed him to venture to Kairi's apartment on the condition that he got to check to his homework when he returned. That was probably just to make sure Riku would do what he said he would. He assured Xemnas that he wasn't a procrastinator. Unfinished work left Riku antsy and uncomfortable.

Riku bent over the small table in Kairi's bedroom to grab his soda. He found it hard to concentrate on his work because he kept getting caught up in looking around. Sora seemed familiar with her apartment, and moved as if he knew where most things were. He wanted to be on the same status.

"I don't know what this question is asking." Sora huffed, returning from the kitchen with his own soda. He cracked open the tab and sat at Riku's side.

"Me neither." Riku had read over the passage three times and he still had very little understanding of what it was about. The questions didn't help either.

"This is taking foreverrrr!" Sora doggy eared his text book and snapped it closed. "Maybe we should work on something else and come back? We only have an hour to work on it together."

"That would be smart. Riku, why don't you give us your phone number and we can call you if we get any answers." Kairi followed after Sora and closed her book. Quite frankly the whole thing was giving her a head ache. She really did hate her science work book.

"Okay. Give me a second, I think my dad wrote it into my planner." Riku rummaged through his book sack for his spiral planner. He flipped through the contact information and found the space where the apartment number was written. "Here it is." He sat it on the table for both of them to see. "But um, if you call, Xemnas will probably answer."

"That's okay." Sora scribbled the number onto a stray piece of note book paper, and Kairi etched it into her room's small white erase board.

While he waited, Riku allowed his curiosity to guide his attention. Kairi's apartment was far different in contrast from Sora's and his own. There were flowers, real flowers, and sea decor in just about ever corner. The neat living area smelled of fresh potting dirt, cold mineral water, and citrus. The decor color scheme followed warm opaue colors, even in Kairi's room. Speaking of her room, it wasn't as pink as he was expecting. Actually, it was a very calming light blue. It reminded him of the breeze that rolled over the beach early in the morning.

"Hey Riku?"

"Huh?" Riku snapped out of his daze.

"Mr. Lupin was trying to show us how to foil today, right?" Sora put his science book away and traded it for math. He took out another clean sheet of paper and filled out his heading.

"I think so. He was going kind of fast. I think they teach this kind of stuff to us too early. I didn't have a really good idea of what he was talking about." Riku scratched the back of his head and peered over Sora's shoulder. He was already starting.

"Ugghh! I was hoping you knew. I was half asleep!"

"Settle down boys, we'll just have to figure it out together!" Kairi shushed them both.

Riku had the feeling he would be going home a little late today.

* * *

"Yes, I'd like to reserve that testing area." Ansem balanced his phone between his neck and shoulder. He sat at the edge of his bed to tie on one dress shoe, while searching for the other. Much of the hotel room floor was littered with his personal items. He wasn't really this disorganized, he was just in a hurry. His thoughts had kept him up late the previous night, making him late to rise in the morning.

"No, I can't take a later date. I need that area sectioned off today for a test flight. I have a team of operators who need to make a demonstration." He sighed heavily into the receiver. "Yes, I can take that time, but no later." Being away from home usually never stressed him out this much. He had no real reason to worry, but it was something he couldn't help. He hoped his worry wouldn't follow him into today's string of presentations.

Maybe one call to see how things were doing wouldn't hurt? When his scheduling call had ended, he didn't hesitate to start another. "Transfer me to my younger brother." He spoke into his phone's voice recognition. Today was going to be another long day in his even longer week.


	13. Kind of Odd

Last Name

Chapter 12: Kind of Odd

Mr. Lupin's calculating yellow eyes scanned Riku's home room. For the most part, today had worn out everyone. It was hardly that late into the school year and teachers were already reviewing material for their first rally of tests to sample what their students had absorbed. Mr. Lupin, on the other hand, had started early and was already listing out students for morning, or after school tutoring. Not only did he eternally seal your name to those lists, but he also made you take something home so he could schedule a conference with your parents. The man was crazy.

Riku broke into a cold sweat in his seat. He could feel Xion's distress from across the silenced room. He knew his name would be called any moment, so he attempted to distract himself. He had started out watching Sora slobber on his desk, but even that couldn't keep his nervousness at bay. There was always homework he could do for other classes? As soon as Mr. Yseult had the opportunity to snatch up their Science assignments (of which they barely managed to finish), he handed them another confusing set to do.

Riku sighed out loud, attracting Mr. Lupin's wondering attention at his neatly organized desk. He quickly adverted his eyes, but it was already too late.

"Riku." The man called flatly.

"Yes, sir?" Riku moved to slip out of his seat. Students who didn't have their nose pointed in a book, pretending to read, watched him inch toward his doom.

"You're on my list as well." Mr. Lupin shooed Xion off to her seat. Riku could see her frowning out of the corner of his eye. Doom was in the form of a blue slip of paper.

His palms were sweaty as he stood at the side of Mr. Lupin's swiveling chair in front of the classroom computer. "Yeah." Riku watched him check off his name, and neatly etch it in jarringly red pen over the top of the paper.

"Here. Tell your parents or legal guardian that I am available any time after school from three fifteen to six o'clock. Understood?" looked Riku in his eyes. He was slightly unnerved by his homeroom teacher's straight forwardness in facial expression. Staring back without knowing, Riku uneasily nodded his head.

"To your seat. " waved him off as he did Xion and stood. "You have five more minutes until dismissal. Neatly, and quietly pack your things. I expect to see you all bright and early tomorrow morning. We'll be starting on basic parent functions." He clapped his hands as eager bodies shot up to snatch their things from their places. Mr. Lupin scowled at the immediate uproar of noise and chatter. Sora, who was snoring before, snapped awake and nearly left the room.

"I said to grab your things. I didn't say you could leave. " He eyed Sora as he shamefully crawled back behind his desk. "Those who didn't do well on the pre-assessment are required to have the tutoring sheet signed, as well as a parent conference. I plan to start out strong this year, so will all of you. If no one has questions, you may be dismissed as soon as the bell rings."

* * *

Riku teetered solemnly over Twilight Town's signature orange pavement while Sora, Kairi, and Roxas chattered around him. He wasn't alone in his mood. Xion hadn't said much either.

"Are you alright?" Kairi tapped his shoulder. Riku was normally quiet, but not _this _quiet.

"I'm fine." He lied. "I'm just thinking." Which was true. Maybe being this distressed was a little silly, but Riku hated feeling like a disappointment. When Ansem came back, he would be upset with what he'd done in class so far. Which was fail, and he had no idea what kind of parent he was when he was dissatisfied. Maybe Ansem wouldn't be like his mother? Riku remembered she used to yell.

"Hey Riku, are you going to come over to do homework?" Sora asked after waving goodbye to Roxas and Xion. "Kairi's aunt is making batter fried rice balls with cheese for dinner." He enthusiastically rubbed his hands.

"Uh, nah. Not today." He rubbed sweat from the bit of hair he had over the back of his neck.

"Oh, okay." Sora curiously ruffled his own head, but didn't press Riku any further.

"We'll save you some for lunch tomorrow then, as long as you don't mind handing a few to Axel." Kairi lent her distraught friend a smile and tugged a zipper on his book bag closed. "Maybe he won't be too mad about it? It was a bench mark right? You have plenty of time to catch up."

"I guess." Riku shrugged. "I'll see you guys tomorrow then. "

As soon as they neared the Destiny Island complex, Riku split off from their trio and trotted down the back way to his apartment floor.

* * *

"I'm home." Riku sighed upon entering. The door, as usual, was already open for him.

"Afternoon." Xemnas greeted from where he was in the kitchen. He had started cooking dinner early today. "How was school?"

"Alright." Riku placed his bag down and kicked off his shoes near the door. Nose curiously sampling the air, he wondered into the kitchen to figure out what was on the menu for tonight. Besides, Xemnas was the only one here to tell about his failure. Might as well get it over with.

"Only alright?" Xemnas hummed, smothering fried chicken tenders in gravy.

Riku looked over his arm, then at another simmering pot of white rice on the stove. "Yeah." He sighed and hung his head. "I have something I'm supposed to show you. I didn't do too well on a math test."

"Hmm, that's no good. If you bring whatever you to the table, I'll take a look at it while we're eating." Xemnas placed a paper towel over their chicken and gazed down his other side. "Shoo." He waved off Kingdom, who had been lurking the kitchen for dropped morsels of food.

Riku stalked back to where he'd placed his book sack, while Xemnas set their dinner on the center of the dining room table. Plates and forks clattered as he pulled them out of the cabinets. "What would you like to drink? Tea or punch?" He tapped his chin while gazing into the fridge.

"I think we had tea, or lemonade last night, so punch." Riku trotted back to the table, placing his blue slip of paper near Xemnas' already full plate. He sat quietly at the other end, standing up on his knees in his chair to reach the food in the center. Riku piled on rice, then his smothered chicken, and waited for Xemnas to return with drinks. It felt odd eating before the sun went down. Riku suspected that Xemnas had something he needed to do later.

"Punch it is." He returned to his chair, and placed their filled glasses where they could reach them. "Is this it?" He slid the paper from the table and held it up to read as he ate. "A sixty four on an assessment…" Xemnas muttered, scanning the text with narrowed orange eyes. Riku stuffed his mouth in silence. He wasn't sure what his uncle would say or think either.

"A bit of tutoring would help wouldn't it? You must have been taught at a different pace than school you attended previously. Lupin…?" Xemnas' fork scraped the edge of his plate as he switched hands to hold the paper with. Riku thought he heard a question aimed toward him, but wasn't sure.

"Huh?" Riku washed down his food with a mouthful of bright red punch.

"I said Lupin. Your teacher's name is Mr. Lupin, correct?" Xemnas took a spare pen from a vase on the table and signed on behalf of his older brother.

"Yeah, that's right." Riku was filling his mouth again. He would avoid talking if he could. "Is there something weird about it?" Xemnas' had a subtle change in mood.

"No, it's just a familiar last name. I used to know someone addressed as Lupin." He pushed the paper back in Riku's direction. "I'll have to pick you up after school if I'm required to attend a conference. I'll also have to take you with me when I check into my department." Which meant Xemnas had K-9 unit registry documentation to fill out beforehand.

"I don't mind." Riku sighed, swallowing thickly. "Are you going to tell him?"

"Tell who? Ansem?" Xemnas chewed. There was a curious tilt in his head.

"Do you think he'll be mad about it?"

"Hardly. It's quite funny actually. The thing about your father is, is that he loathes math, even though it's a heavy skill requirement for his current career." He snickered. "I highly doubt he'll be angry. A sixty seven is a bit of a disappointment, but your teacher is offering tutoring early. Don't beat yourself over." In odd habit, Xemnas ran his tongue over the edge of his glass before placing it back on the table near his plate. "And yes, I do plan to tell him whenever he calls."

"So he won't yell?" Riku pecked at his half eaten dinner with the points of his fork. He lost his appetite half way through.

"Yell?" Xemnas' brows furrowed. "No…he won't yell." He pressed his lips into a thoughtful line. Interesting.

Riku seemed to deflate from his stiff position at the table. That was at least a slight relief.

"Are you alright, Riku?"

"I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

* * *

The next day of school was a busy, long, and tiring one. Riku's stomach was no longer in guilty knots (more like slight kinks), and even though she was tired, Xion's mood seemed to have improved from the previous day as well.

"I thought you said your dad was away?" Sora smacked on left over goldfish from lunch. Typically, he would have left school when the bell rang, and headed toward his apartment with the 'gang', but he didn't want to leave Riku alone. Plus, he wanted to come over to Riku's place for a change. He hoped the other's uncle would let him; his mother already gave him the OK.

"He is. Xemnas is coming to talk to instead." He sat on the steps of the school building while he waited. His half-lidded, cyan eyes wondered over the brick beneath him. Riku passed the time by pulling at moss, following ants, or critiquing Sora's bad jokes. He lifted his head when he saw his uncle's car pull into the parking lot. "He's here." Riku leapt from the top step and adjusted his bag over his shoulder.

Sora excitedly sprang up to stand next to Riku on the side walk. "Cool! Is that a dog?!" He shielded the evening sun from his eyes to get a better look as Xemnas approached. Occasionally sniffing the passing air, a black head, white smiling teeth, and lolling tongue jutted out from an open window.

"Her name's Kingdom." Riku replied.

"Neat! I hope I get to pet her." Sora grinned ready to greet another member of his newest friend's family. "H-hi…" His grin faltered when he realized how tall and intimidating Xemnas was. He didn't know what he was expecting. Riku's dad was kind of the same way.

"Hello." Xemnas returned his greeting with one of his own. "You must be…Sora?" He brushed dog hair from the front of his shirt.

"Uh huh!" He nodded. "Is it okay if I come over today? I promise I won't be any trouble." Sora craned his neck upward to see Xemnas' face from where he stood.

"I've been told you live in the same complex. I don't have an issue with it, as long as you stay on task until you're finished with homework." He placed his car keys in his pocket and motioned for Riku to move along with him inside.

"Yes!" He wooted. "I'll wait out here then." Sora didn't fancy going all the way back to his homeroom. Hopefully, Mr. Lupin wouldn't hold them there for too long. He was really looking forward to having all the time they needed to get their assignments done, and maybe hang out afterward.

With a bit of Riku's help, Xemnas navigated the dimmed halls for the appropriate homeroom. He walked in at a brisk stride, but slowed as soon as he crossed the threshold into the classroom.

"Evening." Xemnas swayed around a misplaced desk, and stared at the man flipping through class material binders and notes at his own working space.

"Evening." Mr. Lupin's head wondered up and their eyes locked for an odd period of time. Riku looked between them in slight confusion. Weren't they supposed to say something?

"I'm here about Riku's assessment grade?" Xemnas slowly sat in a chair he assumed was for the 'incoming parent'.

"Ah…yes. Are you Riku's father?" almost timidly asked. Riku could see the traces of confusion on his teacher's composed face. He sat in a chair next to Xemnas and folded his legs over his lap. Something was certainly odd here.

"No, I'm his uncle. His father is currently away on a project proposal." Xemnas cleared his throat, breaking eye contact for a moment.

"Well then I hope you relay that information to Ansem."

Huh? Riku lifted his head from the spot he was staring at on the rutty carpeted floor. He was now_ positive_ he had missed something. Despite his curiousity, however, Riku decided to keep his mouth shut. Chances were it probably wasn't his business.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, Mr. Lipin was curt and swift about what he wanted to discuss. It wasn't long before both adults were finished talking and giving each other more odd looks. To be honest, it made Riku a little uncomfortable to be in the room, though they did nothing more than chat about the predetermined topic.

"You can step outside, Riku. I'll be there in a moment. I need to write down your teacher's contact information for your father." Xemnas stood to his feet and gave Saix a firm handshake. It was hardly noticeable, but Riku caught the hesitation in that gesture. He knew Mr. Lupin's demeanor was a bit abrasive, but the man wasn't that bad. Both of them were abrasive looking actually. He could hardly fathom why they'd be so...careful about interacting.

Shrugging his shoulder in agreement, Riku wondered back into the hall to wait for his uncle to finish jotting things down. He twisted unused locker combination dials and took an exhibition through the hallway walls' 'fine art'. Most of what he found was miniature, badly drawn doodles of penises, other badly drawn miscellaneous objects, and gum. Splendid.

He was moving on to counting the number of crickets in each hallway junction, when out of the corner of his eye; he saw a gesture between the two men through the uncovered classroom window. Riku wasn't sure he was seeing right at first. That was kind of odd. He could have sworn he saw his uncle, and his homeroom math teacher share a kiss.


End file.
